• Media
• Telecomm
• Technology
• Special

First Amendment and FOIA

Every communications entity, regardless of medium, benefits from the protections afforded by the First Amendment. Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth, PLC represents major trade associations and content providers in the newspaper and Internet publishing fields and assists broadcast, cable, and other communications clients on a host of issues related to the First Amendment and the Freedom of Information Act. Our lawyers have significant expertise in all areas related to the First Amendment and Freedom of Information Act, including:

• advocacy before the U.S. Congress and state legislatures on legislation that would affect the ability to gather or publish news and information
• prepublication and prebroadcast review for legal concerns such as defamation, invasion of privacy, and copyright and trademark infringement
• drafting and filing of amicus briefs on issues of prime concern to the future of free expression and freedom of the press in state, federal and international tribunals, including the United States Supreme Court, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, and the European Court of Human Rights
• drafting and prosecution of requests for information under the federal Freedom of Information Act and similar state laws through executive branch agencies and court appeals
• advising clients on access to governmental and court documents
• counseling client staff on the implementation of major court decisions, legislation, and regulatory changes that would affect newsgathering and publishing, including on-site training sessions by our attorneys
• creating and implementing newsroom policies to minimize legal complications in areas such as protection of confidential sources and information and correction or retraction of content errors.

Consult our lawyers in this area: